20 Years of Learning about Deer and Hunters in the Kinzua Quality Deer Cooperative

Thursday, April 3 is the last day to register for the April 10 Roach-Bauer Forestry Forum on Deer and Hunters in the Kinzua Quality Deer Cooperative.  John Dzemyan, Leader of the Kinzua Quality Deer Cooperative (KQDC), will highlight results of the past 20 years.  This Forum will be of value to anybody interested in management of forested landscapes.  Social hour starts at 4:30 p.m. with dinner at 5:30 p.m. 

John Dzemyan is a well-known naturalist and woodsman in North Central Pennsylvania, and is beloved for his interesting presentations on natural events.  John currently serves as the Coordinator for the KQDC, is an avid deer hunter, and a former Game Warden, Laborer, and Lands Manager with the Pennsylvania Game Commission.  John worked in Cameron, Elk, and McKean Counties for over 40 years.  John first joined the KQDC Leadership team over 20 years ago.  His insights to deer management will entertain attendees and enhance the information learned over the last 20-plus years on the KQDC.

The Forum will be held at the Wilcox Community Building (also called the Jones Township Community Center) at 320 Faries St, downtown Wilcox, Pa. 15870.  The program will start immediately after dinner.  Reservations are required!  For reservations, contact the Allegheny Hardwood Utilization Group, PO Box 133, Kane, Pa., 16735, at 814-837-8550, or e-mail bcarson@ahug.com.

The KQDC is managed for Quality Deer and a Quality Forest Ecosystem to provide a Quality Hunting experience.  Other goals are to provide quality forests for landowners to manage for timber products, local employment, numerous outdoor recreation activities, and quality habitat for all wildlife.

The Kinzua Quality Deer Cooperative is an on-going demonstration, begun in 2000, of how hunting can be used to meet the goals of multiple publics for managing deer.  A partnership of forest landowners, forest managers, biologists, hunters, and local businesses developed the program which relies on hunters to manage deer density on a representative forested area.  The program is conducted on a 74,000-acre forested demonstration area in northwestern Pennsylvania, covering parts of McKean and Warren Counties.

Land managers within the KQDC are the Forest Service-Allegheny National Forest, RAM Forest Products, Collins Pine Company, Bradford Watershed, and Forecon, Inc.

This Forum on 20 Years of Learning about Deer and Hunters in the KQDC will be of interest to land managers, hunters, recreational businesses, and conservationists.  Society of American Foresters’ Continuing Forestry Education credits will be applied for this presentation.